tim73
11-07-09, 14:31
Hi, I'm new here and not sure this is all panic/anxiety related, but thought I'd share it anyway. It's a little long.
Some time last week I started getting little aches in my left arm. It shifts between the upper arm, lower arm and the inner elbow. Around a similar time (I'm not sure if it was before or after), I got a little pain in my right index finger (inside on one of the joints) and it was painful to the touch and if I lift things. Not long after that a bruise developed. Have no recall of injuring it though. However I did buy a new mountain bike at the weekend and could have been when I was lifting the bike in to the car or something like that.
The bruise went away, though the finger is still tender occasionally.
Anyway, I do a fair bit of mountain biking and went out on Wednesday evening to give the bike a thorough test. Some reasonably intensive stuff but no ill effects at the time. At home, had some food, watched some telly, and (as I often do), fell asleep on the sofa.
Then I wake up Thursday morning a 5am with the old "pins & needles" in my right hand. Just assume I'd slept on it, but it wouldn't go away. Hand was getting a little numb and cold. Ended up not getting back to sleep and the hand was still like that all day.
In the evening I started getting hot/cold flushes, feeling weak, the hand feeling cold again, but more of a slight burning sensation than the pins&needles. Hands were sweaty/clammy too.
Took some paracetamol, went to bed and it was a lot better Friday. Then I start getting aches in the arms and shoulders. Feels muscular to me.
So I'm thinking maybe a reaction to the bike set up and posture, maybe combined with the finger injury.
The odd thing is the weak feeling, sweaty/clammy hands and an empty stomach feeling.
Today, some of these have re-occurred. The right hand feels "odd". It's hard to describe. There's still tenderness in the hand to touch or when I clench it. Shoulder aches have stopped but the left arm aches have returned in little occasional twinges. Some slight sweatiness and the empty stomach feeling again (I'm eating enough though), and a more rapid pulse. General feeling of tenseness. Anxiousness I guess.
Okay, so a bit of further history. Sometime last year I had an event where I was driving home and getting some chest pains (I'd had them and arm aches for a while at the time), and thought in a slightly dismissive manner about what I would do if I had a heart attack. Well that blew it and I came over feint & weak. Managed to get home and found I had a massive pounding heart that I found terrifying. Called NHS Direct and they got me an out of hours appointment with the local Thamesdoc place (deals with Surrey out of hours stuff). Saw a doctor and after discussing it the thought was it was excessive caffine (I recall having 5 large coffee cups on the desk that day at the end of work). Told to try relaxing and all that and if I could wait, book an appointment to get ECG and bloods done, or if not go to A&E. Was too freaked out and ended up going to A&E and they did the tests and sure enough, nothing wrong.
Followed up at the GP in the morning, still with this terrifying pounding heart, and was given beta blockers (Propranolol) and just told to take a few as and when I feel the need. They sorted out the pounding heart. Further appointment was made to fit a 24 hour blood pressure monitor. All fine there, so that was the end of it.
I'm thinking that situation was more a panic attack than anything to do with caffeine. Likewise I think this may be also.
Trying to convince myself there's nothing wrong, but it's hard. I may try for a GP appointment for a general check up at least for some reassurance. Still got a big supply of the Propranolol so have taken a couple (10mg doses) to try and calm me down. Seems to be working a little.
Doesn't help that there's no one really to talk to, other than parents over the phone.
If it's all just anxiety, it's really annoying. I just want it to go away. Though I think there's a physical issue involving the bike/hand though that's a trigger.
Some time last week I started getting little aches in my left arm. It shifts between the upper arm, lower arm and the inner elbow. Around a similar time (I'm not sure if it was before or after), I got a little pain in my right index finger (inside on one of the joints) and it was painful to the touch and if I lift things. Not long after that a bruise developed. Have no recall of injuring it though. However I did buy a new mountain bike at the weekend and could have been when I was lifting the bike in to the car or something like that.
The bruise went away, though the finger is still tender occasionally.
Anyway, I do a fair bit of mountain biking and went out on Wednesday evening to give the bike a thorough test. Some reasonably intensive stuff but no ill effects at the time. At home, had some food, watched some telly, and (as I often do), fell asleep on the sofa.
Then I wake up Thursday morning a 5am with the old "pins & needles" in my right hand. Just assume I'd slept on it, but it wouldn't go away. Hand was getting a little numb and cold. Ended up not getting back to sleep and the hand was still like that all day.
In the evening I started getting hot/cold flushes, feeling weak, the hand feeling cold again, but more of a slight burning sensation than the pins&needles. Hands were sweaty/clammy too.
Took some paracetamol, went to bed and it was a lot better Friday. Then I start getting aches in the arms and shoulders. Feels muscular to me.
So I'm thinking maybe a reaction to the bike set up and posture, maybe combined with the finger injury.
The odd thing is the weak feeling, sweaty/clammy hands and an empty stomach feeling.
Today, some of these have re-occurred. The right hand feels "odd". It's hard to describe. There's still tenderness in the hand to touch or when I clench it. Shoulder aches have stopped but the left arm aches have returned in little occasional twinges. Some slight sweatiness and the empty stomach feeling again (I'm eating enough though), and a more rapid pulse. General feeling of tenseness. Anxiousness I guess.
Okay, so a bit of further history. Sometime last year I had an event where I was driving home and getting some chest pains (I'd had them and arm aches for a while at the time), and thought in a slightly dismissive manner about what I would do if I had a heart attack. Well that blew it and I came over feint & weak. Managed to get home and found I had a massive pounding heart that I found terrifying. Called NHS Direct and they got me an out of hours appointment with the local Thamesdoc place (deals with Surrey out of hours stuff). Saw a doctor and after discussing it the thought was it was excessive caffine (I recall having 5 large coffee cups on the desk that day at the end of work). Told to try relaxing and all that and if I could wait, book an appointment to get ECG and bloods done, or if not go to A&E. Was too freaked out and ended up going to A&E and they did the tests and sure enough, nothing wrong.
Followed up at the GP in the morning, still with this terrifying pounding heart, and was given beta blockers (Propranolol) and just told to take a few as and when I feel the need. They sorted out the pounding heart. Further appointment was made to fit a 24 hour blood pressure monitor. All fine there, so that was the end of it.
I'm thinking that situation was more a panic attack than anything to do with caffeine. Likewise I think this may be also.
Trying to convince myself there's nothing wrong, but it's hard. I may try for a GP appointment for a general check up at least for some reassurance. Still got a big supply of the Propranolol so have taken a couple (10mg doses) to try and calm me down. Seems to be working a little.
Doesn't help that there's no one really to talk to, other than parents over the phone.
If it's all just anxiety, it's really annoying. I just want it to go away. Though I think there's a physical issue involving the bike/hand though that's a trigger.